The Thieves have finally found themselves in a position to make playoffs. Sitting at 3-5, their final game of the round robin is against Team SoloMid. After the performances shown during Rift Rivals, 100 Thieves could see another win coming their way.. The first game of the second round robin, Team Liquid, is an unstoppable wall that 100 Thieves has very rarely conquered. Despite their recent success, 100 Thieves have quite the weekend ahead of them.
Rift Rivals came and went for North America, showing some pretty frustrating looks from LCS teams. Team SoloMid, against Europe, seemed to have many issues that could be abused. Of course, that doesn’t mean every one can abuse these mistakes here in the LCS. If 100 Thieves took notes, however, fans could hope to see yet another win tacked on. As per usual however, with this latest iteration of the roster, 100 Thieves have much to hope for from the top side of the map.
Courtesy of LoL Flickr
In the matchup between Aaron “FakeGod” Lee and Sergen “Broken Blade” Çelik, experience will be a key factor for both teams heading into Saturday’s match. 100 Thieves have received beating after beating in the top lane ever since FakeGod was introduced to the main roster. While this has been the case, when late game team fights and macro play came in to play, FakeGod has continued to impress. Sacking the top lane early on has become a proven strategy for 100 Thieves with Amazing making moves all across the map. Not just that, in the 2v2 matchup in the bot lane of Andy “Smoothie” Ta, Jesper “Zven” Svenningsen, Zaqueri “aphromoo” Black and Bae “Bang” Jun-sik, a lively and aggressive Bang and a return to form Aphromoo should have the edge for the Thieves.
Courtesy of LoL Flickr
Coming off a stellar performance at Rift Rivals and leading the pack here in North America, Team Liquid is gearing up for yet another championship run. 100 Thieves has always had a struggle with Team Liquid as a team, losing almost every meeting they’ve had with them. This split could be no different. While Team Liquid continues to impress after what was a rough start to the Summer Split, 100 Thieves are at the base of the mountain looking to climb up.
Aphromoo and Bang should be a high point for this match. Despite the fact that they’ll be facing what could be known as the best bot lane in the LCS, the two have looked sharp and ready for action in their most recent victories. As always, there’s just one catch to both of these matches. FakeGod, against teams with experienced top laners, will look to abuse his lane, again. If 100 Thieves had any real downside going in to this match, it would be the Jung “Impact” Eon-yeong vs. FakeGod matchup.
Courtesy Of LoL Flickr
FakeGod, despite his solid team play, has been a target for many teams since entering the LCS. Teams have taken a notice to the young player and continue to aim towards his lane. The idea that most teams seem to have is that, as a solo laner, FakeGod is an easy target. Teams will continue to focus his lane and push their advantage by drafting strong top and jungle duos. 100 Thieves knows this however, it can be easily seen in their latest streak of games.
FakeGod sacks the lane, comes to team fights prepared mechanically and 100 Thieves win out. He doesn’t do it all on his own, however. The team built around him supports this type of play. FakeGod embodies the idea of top lane being an island. If he can hold on, even for a moment, his team can make plays across the map. In their most recent wins, a large reason for their victories came from 100 Thieves working together, something fans haven’t seen in a long time. While FakeGod is against the world, it’s for the greater good. 100 Thieves seem to have found their niche as a team, something fans have been waiting forever for.
Winning either game would be monumental for the 100 Thieves squad during Week 5. Fans and analysts have little faith that the team can continue the streak they’re currently sitting on. Being positioned for a run for a playoff spot in the middle of the Split should give fans a small bit of hope. Team SoloMid and Team Liquid are no pushovers. These wouldn’t be the first top tier teams 100 Thieves have taken down this split, however. With Cloud9 being rallied behind as a second or third place finisher in playoffs, 100 Thieves already have one tack on their board. The next two could be incoming this weekend. Tune in on Saturday, July 6, for their match against Team SoloMid. Following up on Sunday, July 7, they’ll face off against the reigning champions, Team Liquid.
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